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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/29625459">Shattered... (from a Certain Point of View)</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/hellowkatey/pseuds/hellowkatey'>hellowkatey</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Febuwhump 2021 [20]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars: The Clone Wars (2008) - All Media Types</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Angst, Betrayal, CT-7567 | Rex Needs a Hug, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Episode: s07e11 Shattered (Star Wars: The Clone Wars), FebuWhump2021, Gen, Hurt CT-7567 | Rex, Mentioned CT-27-5555 | ARC-5555 | Fives</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2021-02-22</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2021-02-22</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-15 18:26:26</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>1,891</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/29625459</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/hellowkatey/pseuds/hellowkatey</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Order 66 is called, and Rex has to fight against his programming.</p><p> </p><p>[Febuwhump day 20: betrayal]</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>CT-27-5555 | ARC-5555 | Fives &amp; CT-7567 | Rex, CT-7567 | Rex &amp; Ahsoka Tano, CT-7567 | Rex/Ahsoka Tano</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Febuwhump 2021 [20]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/series/2138259</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>3</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>51</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Shattered... (from a Certain Point of View)</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Never in Rex's short life did he think he would ever betray his Jedi. None of them. Not General Kenobi or Skywalker. Certainly not Commander Tano. To follow orders was part of his programming, but not only that. He would follow his leaders to hell and back if they asked him-- if he considers Umbara or Zygerria and Kadavo <em>hell</em>, then he truly did. The Jedi have become honorary brothers in his mind. They put their lives on the line right next to him and the others, most of the time more-so. They've saved his life more times than he can count, only to be rivaled by the number of times they've gotten him into trouble. </p><p>They earned his respect. His friendship. And the respect and friendship of the other men. </p><p>Which is why, when the hooded figure shows up on the holo and utters a phrase Rex has never heard before, but suddenly just <em>knows what to do...</em></p><p>
  <em>"Execute Order 66"</em>
</p><p>He feels a part of him snap into place, and another part of him shatter into pieces. </p><p>"Yes, Lord Sidious," he replies, a surge of adrenaline and anger coursing through him. The door behind him opens, and Rex tightens the grip on his blaster. </p><p>But when he hears her voice... </p><p>"Rex!" </p><p>So familiar, tugging at memories so fond. </p><p>"It's Anakin."</p><p>Another name he knows too well. Too closely. The hand holding his helmet begins to quiver. </p><p>"I feel like something terrible has happened." </p><p><em>Something terrible is about to happen.</em> It's the strangest sensation. Like his mind has been split into two and both sides are fighting for dominance. One side is telling him to draw his blaster and shoot Ahsoka Tano before she has a chance to do a thing. He's a quick shot, and if he misses there are guards at the door. </p><p>
  <em>Good soldiers follow orders.</em>
</p><p>The other side is screaming at him. Pleading him. <em>No! This is wrong! You can't do this!</em></p><p>His helmet slips from his grip and clatters to the floor. She's still standing behind him, and he can hear the confusion in her voice as the commlink tones of the other troopers begin to chime in. </p><p>"Rex?" </p><p>He knows the sound of blasters being aimed far too well. The two guards have received their orders. In a moment Ahsoka Tano will be dead. Rex draws in a breath. The mere thought of that as a truth, makes his entire body feel numb. </p><p>"No," he says firmly, but the shake in his voice is undeniable. He turns around, taking in the sight of the two troopers with orange and white painted helmets ready to fire. "I'll do it," </p><p>"Rex? What's happening?" </p><p>He doesn't even remember picking up both his blasters before he's raising them, both pointed straight at her head. Staring down barrels, Rex finally looks at her. Looks her in the eye. All he can see in her big blue eyes and young face is the look of utter confusion and alarm. <em>A kid! She's only a kid!</em></p><p>"Stay back!" he yells. His hands have never shaken like this before but now they won't stop. He's taken countless lives in this--this war for the Republic. Or for the Separatists? Who is winning now? Was anyone ever winning? He has no idea. What he does know is his hands have never shaken and he hardly ever misses a shot, but right now it is looking like both of these things are his reality. A part of him is frustrated and a part of him is praying to whatever higher power that may be listening that he <em>misses this shot, please.</em> "Find him," he says, feeling that his free will is quickly being overtaken. Like a parasite invading his brain, the good memories of Tano, Skywalker, and Kenobi are being pushed out by force. "Find him. <em>Fives." </em></p><p>He can't take it anymore.</p><p>"Find him!" he screams and then fires his blaster wildly in the wrong direction. It's all the warning she needs. Ahsoka bolts into action, moving faster than his eyes can even perceive. Faster than he can react to her body slamming into his and cracking the back of his head into the console. White-hot pain flashes through him and he crumbles to the ground with black spots dancing before his eyes.</p><p><em>Execute Order 66, </em>the shrill voice echos in his mind. <em>Kill the Jedi. Good soldiers follow orders.</em> </p><p>He groans, pushing through the haze of pain and blaster shots to get back on his feet. He hears his name being called, sounding faraway, but he can feel that it's near. </p><p>Rex starts to fire again. And again. Not really knowing where he's aiming, just knowing that he needs to <em>kill the Jedi.</em></p><p>And when she disappears, the urge only grows. </p><hr/><p>They search the ship. Tirelessly. Frantically. Like nothing else has mattered this much the entire war. </p><p>
  <em>Except it has. Everything has been an uphill battle and we have done it every time with the help and guidance of the Jedi. </em>
</p><p>He grits his teeth. Nearly slams his fist into the wall of the lift he's in. Their orders are to execute her.</p><p><em>When have the orders of this Lord Sidious ever mattered</em> before?</p><p>Rex's shoulder slams into a doorframe he wasn't paying attention to. He hisses at the blunt pain, shakes it off. A squad of troopers passes him in a steady jog.  Headed to their sector. They will find her if they have to tear this ship apart. </p><p>He starts to run, but is caught by troublesome droids blocking his path. He slams into one, taking an opportunity to kick it. </p><p>"Hey! Hey, out of the way." The droid seems to <em>laugh at him,</em> and he has half a mind to run his blaster through it instead. Then the blast doors shut around him, locking him in the hallway. "Are you <em>cross-wired</em>?" </p><p>A holographic Commander Tano appears from within the droid. <em>"Rex. I think I know what's happening. I saw your report on Fives," </em></p><p>Fives. Rex's entire body shutters at the remembrance of his death. How he fell limp in his arms. </p><p><em>"It isn't your fault."</em> There's a surprising amount of sympathy in her eyes to be looking at the man who just tried to murder her. <em>"You were programmed. Your mind was altered to do this when you were very young. I can help you." </em></p><p>
  <em>Good soldiers follow orders.</em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>You were programmed.</em>
</p><p> </p><p>The hologram dissipates. His eyebrows slant. Another surge of anger from a place deep with him. He points the blaster at the droid as if it could tell him anything of use. "Where is she?" </p><p>"I'm right here," as he turns, a burst of electricity shoots through him, and the world goes black. </p><hr/><p>The sound of battle wakes Rex up better than any alarm. His heart is already pounding with adrenaline, but when he opens his eyes he finds he is much less prepared for battle than his body seems to be. </p><p>His head is pounding. Lights too bright. He tries to process what's going on around him. </p><p>
  <em>Medbay. Lights in medbay. Blasters. Stretcher. Injured? Lightsaber.</em>
</p><p>Lightsaber. Ahsoka.</p><p>Rex pushes through the wave of nausea and finds himself on the receiving end of an endless stream of blaster shots. He'd be more blaster wounds than man if it weren't for Commander Tano crouched at the end of his bed, the bright blue of her lightsabers moving at an impossible speed. She blocks every single blast with perfect precision, but Rex realizes none are being aimed back at the troopers. </p><p>The troopers are trying to kill her. He reaches for his guns as a blast manages to strike her shoulder and she staggers back. He aims them as she screams for the droid to respond, her energy obviously waning. </p><p>Rex remembers the last time he picked up both his blasters. They were pointed at his Jedi. Armed to kill. But the feeling is suddenly gone from his system. The voice no longer echos in his mind. </p><p>He aims. He shoots. This time, he doesn't miss. </p><p>Four brothers cry out as his shots hit as they always do, their bodies falling as the door finally shuts. In the sudden silence of immediate ceasefire, Commander Tano turns around and looks at him with those big blue eyes. Her young face is full of confusion and alarm..,. but also hope. </p><p>And to see her look at him with <em>hope </em>is the worst possible way she could have looked at him because. when he looks at <em>her</em> all he can see is the reflection of his own betrayal. She shouldn't be staring at him with such concern, moving toward him instead of running away.</p><p>His hands start to shake again. He's still pointing his pistols at her, but his fingers aren't even on the triggers. He is just too shellshocked to know what to even do right now. If she ignited her sabers and took him out, he wouldn't blame her in the slightest.</p><p>She should hate him. She should kill him. She has every right to that. </p><p>Instead, she asks if he is okay. </p><p><em>No, I am not okay... </em>but hearing her voice calms him. Snaps him out of the haze of waking up to such a shock, and he slowly lowers the blasters. </p><p>"Yeah. Yeah, kid, I'm okay." </p><p>The pounding in his head begs to differ. He reaches up to the source, feeling a thick bandage on the side of his head. <em>You were programmed</em>. </p><p>They put a chip in his head to control him when they needed him. To control all of the clones. </p><p>
  <em>"I was framed because I know the truth... the truth about a plot. A massive deception... A sinister plot in the works against the Jedi!" </em>
</p><p>Shame courses through him at the judgment he cast upon his friend. The disbelief at what he was saying. Fives <em>knew</em>. Fives was right. </p><p>
  <em>"It's in all of us. Every clone."</em>
</p><p>Every clone. </p><p>It sounded crazy at the time. He thought Fives had lost it the way he'd seen countless other brothers descend into madness. </p><p><em>"It's bigger than any of us. Than anything I could have imagined.</em>"</p><p>Now Rex sees it. The entire plan in action with no way of stopping it. The clones have their orders to kill their Jedi, and he knows for a fact that on their own, the Jedi don't stand a chance against their battalions of thousands. </p><p>"<em>I just wanted to do my duty... The mission... the nightmares... they're finally... over"</em></p><p>Fives' last words hit him like a speeder to the stomach. All this time they were put here not to fight and die for the Republic, but to act as sleeper agents until they were needed. Mere pawns created for Lord Sidious's master plan that Rex doesn't even fully understand. What scenario constitutes a purging of an entire religion? It's a war crime at the <em>very least.</em> Their duty was always what they were told to do... but no more. He is tired of being a pawn. He doesn't have anything forcing him into obedience hidden within his mind. </p><p>Now, he has a new duty. To stay by Commander Tano's side, and try to stand by those who fought alongside them the last few years. Good soldiers follow orders, but better soldiers do what's right. </p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Rex in 'Shattered' and 'Victory and Death' just... shatters me. His facial expressions, how sad he looks... ugh. I wanted to do something from his point of view because though Ahsoka was the one betrayed by the clones, I feel like Rex was actually the one who took his own betrayal and knowing he is choosing to go against his brothers the hardest. </p><p>Thanks for reading! Come say hi on Tumblr @hellowkatey</p><p>**Basically all the dialogue borrowed from Shattered (S7E11) and Five's death scene (S6E4).</p></blockquote></div></div>
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